Train-stopping apparatus.



P. YNORTHUP.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1913.

Patented July 14, 19m

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. NORTHUP.

Patented July M, 191% 2 SHBBTSSHBET 2.

auve/wto'a m n sra'rns ATENT area;

FRANK NORTHUP, OF LUD'LOW, VERMONT, ASSIG-NOR 0F ONE-EIGHTH TO JOSEPH NORTI'IUP, ONE-EIGHTH T0 WILLIAM W. AVERY, ONE-EIGHTH TO JOSEPH 1B. REID, AND ONE-EIGHTH TO RALPH L. REID, ALL- OF ALEXANDRIA BAY, NEW

YORK.

essrs...

TRAIN-STOPPING- APPARATUS.-

Application filed March 7, 1913. Serial No. 752,694.

To all whom it may concern: V

Be it known that I, FRANK NORTFIUP, a citizen of the United States of Ameri ca, residing at Ludl'ow, in thecounty of Windsor and State of Vermont,'-have invented new and useful Improvements in Train-Stopping Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. a j

This invention relates to improvements 1n train stopping apparatus and has particular application to an automatic apparatus of this character. 1 0

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a train stopping apparatus which may be used in con unction with and operated from the road signals when the latter are set against.the train, that is to say, in danger position so as to br ng the train to a standstill before such train has entered the protected track area for any appreciable distance. 7

It is also my purpose to provide an apparatus of'thetype set forth which will beentirely automatic inaction and whereby the propelling power ofthe train will be cut elf and the brakes applied in the event of the train passing a danger signal.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a train stopping apparatus which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, eflicleneyand durability and which may be manufactured at a nominal cost and installed in a car, for instance, a steam locomotive, without necessitating any material changes in the original construction of the car.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view through a locomotive equipped with my present 1111 811:

tion. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is anenlarged top plan view of the latching device embodied inmy improvements. Fig. 4' is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 5 is. a longitudinal sectional view of the means for cutting off thepropelling power of the car and applying the brakes. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a detail of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates a portion of the 'munication with the .sui'faie and the pinion 15 to boiler of a locomotive, while B indicates a part of the cab of such locomotive, the boiler having the usual steam dome-C upstanding therefrom and in open communication. therewith.

Suitably fastened upon the boiler A is a bed plate 1 carrying a cylinder 2 in which is mounted for rectilinear'movement a piston 3, the cylinder 2 being provided with inlet ports 4:, 5 adjacent to the 0 adapted to have communication with the pposite ends I thereof and, in the present instance, is

Patented July 141:, ism.

steam dome G by means of a conducting pipe 6, leading out of the steam dome and in coincylinder 2 by way of the inlet port 4. This steam conducting pipe 6 is equipped with a controlling valve 7 located adjacent to the forward wall of the engine cab and standing or vertically disposed stem 8 When the valve 7 isopen it will be seen that steam will enter the cylinder 2 from the steam dome of theiboiler by way of the pipe 6 and the inlet port 4 atone end of the cyl-' inder thereby sliding the piston within the cylinder and toward the opposite end thereof. Extending outwardly of one end of the cylinder and suitably fastened to the piston 3 therein is a rod 9 havingits under surface formed with rack teeth 10 meshing with a pinion 11' secured upon one-end of a valve stem 12 projecting into the boiler and controlling a valve 13 arranged within the steam main 142 leading from the steam dome of the boiler to the driving or propelling cylinders of the locomotive. Also meshing with the rack teeth 10 on the rod 9 is a pinion 15 secured to one end of a valve stem 16 of a valve 17 located in the train line air pipe of the air brake system. Normally the piston?) is at the end of the c'ylinder having the port 4: therein and in this position of the piston the valve 13 in the steam main is open while the valve 17 in the train line air pipe is closed. However, when the valve 7 is open and the piston 3 moved to the opposite eiid of the cylinder motion is transmitted to the valve stem 12 through the medium of the rod 9, rack 10- and pinion 11 to shut off the valve 13, and motion imparted to the valve stem 16 through the medium of the rod and rack open the valve 17 and so bleed the train line air pipe.

provided with an up-.

posed, in the present lnstance, of a cylinder 18 suitably secured to the-bed plate 1 at the end of the cylinder 2 opposite from the rod 9 and containing a quantity of oil or other fluid. Slidably disposed within the cylinder 18 is a piston 19 connected to the piston 3 in the cylinder 2 by means of a-rod 20 projecting through the confronting ends of the cylinders 18 and 2, the piston 19 of the dash pot being formed with an aperture 21 whereby the fluid within the cylinder of the dash pot may be transferred from one side of the piston 19 to the other in accordance with the movements of the piston 3 within the cylinder 2. In the present instance, a steam conducting pipe 22 is tapped into the boiler A at an appropriate point and leads into the cylinder 2 by way of the inlet port 5 therein and may be provided with a suitable controlling valve'whereby steam may be admitted to the cylinder 2 to restore the piston 3 to normal position.

In order to hold the controlling valve 7 of the steam conducting pipe 6, normally, in cut oil position so that the valves 13 and 17 will remain uninfluenced by the piston-3, I employ 'a latching device comprising, in the present instance, a lever 23 rigidly secured to the upper end of the valve stem 3, and a block 24 having the opposite sides thereof grooved longitudinally to receive guide rods 25, 25 spaced apart in parallelism and secured by means of suitable brackets 26 to the roof of thecab, one end of the block 24 carrying a latchin pin 27 adapted to seat within a socket 28 l ormed in the free end of the lever 23 and disposed in a plane coincident with that of the lever. In the present instance, a tension spring 29 encircles the stem 8 and has one end secured to the lever 23 and the opposite end "fastened to the casing of the valve 7 such spring exerting its tension to swing the lever 23 and rotate the valve stem 8 to open the valve 7. In this form my invention, a contractile spring 36 has one end fastened to the sliding block and the op osite extremity secured to one of the brac re'ts 26 and acts to hold the latching pin 27 within the socket or recess 28 in the free end of the lever 23.

As long as the latching pin 27 is within the socket in the free end of the lever, and the block 24 held in normal position through the medium of the spring 30, the controlling valve 7 in the pipe 6 remains in cut-ofl' position so that the stopping apparatus is inac-v I tive so far as checking the travel of the car is concerned.

The latching device is designed to be operated, to release the valve 7 and permit the spring 29 to react and throw such valve to open position, from a tripping mechanism, in this form of my invention, under the con- 1 trol of the road signals anddesigned, when a signal-is set against the car or train as the case may be, to slide the block 24 along the guides 25 so as to disengage the latching pin 27 from the socket 28 in the lever 23. Th1s tripping mechanism is arranged transversely of the boiler and supported from the roof of the engine cab by brackets 31, 31v located adjacent to the opposite side edges of such roof a clearly illustrated in *ig.'2 oi' the drawings, such mechanism, in the form of my invention selected for illustrative purposes, comprising substantially T-shaped levers 32, 32 each pivoted upon one of the brackets 31 at the junction of the head and body portions thereof and having ,such body portion extended outwardly of the sides 1 of the cab and provided with buffers or bumpers 33, in the form of rubber knobs adapted to be contacted by the signal blade of the road signal system when such blade is in danger position. Spanning the space between the heads of the levers 32, 32 and pivotally connected to the opposite extremities of'such heads are rods 34, 34 spaced apart in parallelism and disposed in a plane above the latching device. These rods 34, 34 are provided with inwardlyextending lugs 35- adapted to abut an upstanding flange 36 formed on the end of the block 24 opposite fromthat connected to the spring 30. Contractile springs 37,

37 each have one end appropriately secured to one extremit levers 32 and t e opposite end fastened to the respective brace 26 and act to'hold the lever 32, 32 of the tripping mechanism in normal positions as illustrated by the heavylines in Fig. 2. I

From the "foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, mode of operation and manner of employing my invention will be readily apparent. Assuming a car to be approaching a semaphore the blade of which is set against a train or in. danger position, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will be seen. that should the train pass the danger signal, the knob 33 on the lever 32 at the respective side of the engine will contact with thebladc and so swing about its pivot point with the effect to slide the rear rod 34 toward the left and the forward rod 34 toward the right, incident to the pivotal connections between the extremities of the heads of the levers and the rods, this osition of the rods being illustrated by the rotted lilies of the head of one of the are in Fig. 3. As the rear rod 34 slides, the lug 35 thereon engages the flange 36 upstanding from the block 24 and as a consequence slides thelatter upon the guides 25, 25'and against the tension of the spring 30 thereby disengaging the latching pin 27 from the lever 23 whereby the spring 29 may act to throw the valve 7 to an open position,

It will be noted that my improved train stopping apparatus will operate, when conditions warrant, irrespective of the direction of traffic over the road, incident to the levers of the tripping mechanism being arranged at both sides ofthe engine, while the rods of the tripping mechanism are adapted to slide in relatively opposite directions thereby-relieving the valve 7 of the influence of the latching device irrespective of the direction of travel of the car.

In practice, my train stopping apparatus may be utilized or employed in COIIJUIIQtlOII- with any approved form of road signals such, for instance, as train controlled or automatic block signals and manually controlled blocksignals'. Furthermore, it is to be understood that my invention may be used in connection with electrically propelled railway cars and in this use of the apparatus, the stem 12 may be connected to a circuit breaking switch located in the motor circuit of the car, thestem l6 and valve 17' being employed in the usual .ca pacity, while the cylinder2 is connected with the air ,supply o'f'the brake system through the medium of the pipe 6.

While I have herein shown and described one preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification and variation may be made within the scope of the claims without departing'from thespirit of the invention. a

I claim: g

1. In train stopping apparatus, the combination with the propelling mechanism of a car, of a controlling device for said mecha nism, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and adapted'for rectilinear movement therein,- a connection between said piston and controlling device, a source of fluid supply for said cylinder, a controlling valve in- 1 tel-posed between said source and cylinder, a

lever connected to said Valve and having a socket formed therein, a block adapted for sliding movement, guide rods for said block, a latching pin carried by said block, means acting upon the block and holding sald latching pin normally seated in the socket in said lever, a flange formed on said block, a trip mechanism comprising rods spaced apa rt in parallelism and disposed at theopposite sides of the path of movement of said block, 'lugs carried by said rods and engaging said flange, means for sliding said rods whereby said lugs will slide the block to move the latching pin out of the socket, and means for swinging said valve to open position upon the release of said lever.'

2. In train stopping apparatus, the combination with the propelling mechanism of a car, of a controlling device for said mechanism, a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and adapted for rectilinear movement therein, a connection between said piston and controlling device, 'a source of fluid supply for said cylinder, a controlling valve interposed between said source and cylinder, a lever connected to said valve and having a socket formed therein, a block capable of sliding movement, guide rods for said block, a latching pin carried by said block, a spring acting upon said block and holding the latching pin normally seated within the socket in said lever, a trip mechanism adapted to slide said block against the action of-said spring to release said lever, and means for swinging said valve to open position upon the release of said lever.

3. In train stopping apparatus, the combination with the propelling mechanism of a car, of a controlling device for said mechanism, -a cylinder, a piston within said cylinder and adapted for rectilinear movement therein, a connection between said piston and controlling device, a source of fluid supply for said cylinder, a controlling valve interposed between said source and cylinder, a

lever connected to said valve and having a socket formed therein, a block capable of sliding movement,- guide rods forsaid block, a latching pin carried by said block, a spring acting upon said block and holding the latching pin normally seated within the socket in said lever, a flange formed on said block, a trip mechanism comprising rods spaced apart in parallelism and disposed at the opposite sides of the path of movement of said block, lugs carried by saidrods and engaging said flange, a T-shaped lever having the extremities of the head, thereof pivotally connected with said rods, means for actuating said lever to slide said rods whereby said lugs will slide the block to move the latching pin out of the socket, and means for swinging said valve to open position upon the release of said lever.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses FRANK NORTHUP. \Vitnesses I E. EDMONS'ION, Jr., JouN J. ll'loCAi'rrur. 

